Sealable tag



April 18, 1944.- v v -r 2,346,881

SEALABLE TAG I Filed April 25, 1942 aveafo? framed! Paul Valera?!)Patented Apr. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT] orsics SEALABLE TAG FrancisPaul Valenti, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 23, 1942, Serial No. 440,178

Claims. (01. 292 s22) This invention relates to scalable or lockablechecks, or tags combined with sealing means whereby the same may bequickly and easily secured to baggage and other parcels and to any othermountable units to which it is desirable to aflix a suitableidentification, part of which in some instances may be torn off andcarried by the owner or other person in custody of the mov able unit tofacilitate repossession thereof.

It is well known that in transportation terminals, hotels or otherestablishments which serve in the custody, handling and carriage ofbaggage and other parcels, and particularly in the case of baggagecarried by porters who are employees of transportation systems, suchemployees in many instances are compensated on a weekly basis underagreements that the so-called tips received from individual customersshall be paid to the employer. This recently developed system of baggageand parcel serving in which more or less common ordinary forms ofbaggage checks are employed, has resulted in repeated use of the samebaggage check by the porter or other employee conducting such handlingwith the result that the employer has not received the proper andcommensurate compensation paid by the customer.

One of the objects of my invention is to overcome this existing problemby the provision of scalable or lockable checks or seals which in vide alockable and scalable tag or check formed of flexible preferablytearable material, which includes a flexible strap portion adapted to belooped about a suitable portion of a parcel, and

which has a hook-like anchoring end adapted to lock upon suitableprojecting elements within a tunnel-like portion of the unit and so thatsuch anchoring end cannot be manually released without at least partialdestruction of the unit.

a A further object of my invention is the provision of a lockable. tag,check or seal, which may be formed substantially from a single blank ofinexpensive material, and which has means thereon for irremovablyengaging and locking hooklike anchoring elements upon an end of thestrap portion thereof so that upon locked attachment to a parcel or thelike, the unit cannot be manually removed and reused withoutdestruction.

Other and further important objects of my invention will be apparentfrom the following specification and claims. I I

This invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, reference being made thereto in the following description.

On the drawing: I Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating my lockableand scalable tag or check assembled and mounted upon a typical parcelhandle."

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the blank from which my lockable tag orcheck is formed as herein described.

7 Fig. 3 is a perspective view with parts broken away and certain partsseparated to illustrate the engagement of the locking means.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view with parts broken away and illustrating thecheck end of the unit which bears the locking means and engaging theanchor end. V

Fig. 5 is a top plan view with the anchor end of the tag broken away ofa slightly modified form of my invention.

Referring to thedrawing, reference numeral l0 designates acheck or tagof suitable flexible and preferably fibrous material such as cardboardor the like. Saidltag l0 may be of any desired shape, preferably ofgreater length than breadth and preferably substantially elongated, andthe outeror free end designated as llla is defined by a transverselyxtendinglineof scoring ll which extends from one lateral edge to theother of said tag. In the particular illustration of the drawing, to theillustrated shape of which my invention is not limited, an integral part,of said tag is relatively narrower. and reduced, said intermediatereduced body portion being designated by reference numeral I2.

Numeral l3 designates an elongated integral strap which connects thebody portion l2 and connected free end. Illa with the opposite anchorend of the scalable tag, and said strap, as well as the remaining partsof the flexible body herein described, are preferably all cut from asingle blank which blank is illustrated in Fig. 2' in unfolded andunassembled state. The flexible strap !3 is preferably narrower asillustrated than either the intermediate body portion l2. or the end Ido.

The opposite end of the strap 13 is preferably,

though not necessarily, slightly wider and is hereinafter referred to asthe anchor end or the free hook-carrying end I 4. This forms acontinuation of the strap I3. In cutting the blank in the manufacture ofsealable tags or checks of my invention, which is usually by knowndie-cutting steps, the anchor end I4 is cut with integral oppositelyextending wings as illustrated in Fig. 2, said wings or extensions beingdesignated by reference numerals l5 and i5a respectively. Saidextensions or wings l5 and a are ach formed with a recess designated asI6, which is so shaped that hook elements or anchor elements I! and I'Iaare thereby'formed which open in the direction substantially asillustrated in the drawing.

Scoring lines l8 and I 9 are formed substantially along the linesillustrated in Fig. 2 and extend from two points representing thejuncture of the lateral edges of the end I4 with the wings or extensionsl5 and l5a in a direction converging toward each other to the end edgeof the'strap. These scoring lines l8 and i9 provide for quick and easyfolding over into overlapping positions adjacent each other of the hookelements I! and Ila for the purposes and functions hereinafterdescribed.

The intermediate body portion [2 is preferably, though not necessarily,provided with a transversely extending slit as illustrated, and also asecond transversely extending slit 2|. As illustrated in the preferredform of my invention, a panel member 22, which preferably may be ofsubstantially rectangular form and which carries oppositelyextending-tongues 23 and 24 respectively formed integral with theopposite edges thereof, is adapted to be secured in superposed andoverlying position upon the intermediate body portion I2. The securanceof said panel 22 may be by any suitable fastening elements and may beexclusively with separate fastening elements such as staples,adhesive'or the like, though for the purpose of most economicalmanufacture I illustrated the saidpanel 22 and its integral tongues 23and 24 as being cut from the same blank and forming an extension fromthe side edge of the intermediate body portion I2.

When the latter method is followed of forming said panel 22, I form acrease or scoring 25 so that said panel 22 may be quickly and easilydoubled back and folded over and upon the body portion l 2 and securedin such position to form a substantially longitudinally extendingtunnel.

When integral tabs or tongues such as 23 and 24 are utilized as part ofthe securing means in the folding over of the panel, the tab 23 isinserted in slit 20 and the tongue 24 is inserted in slit 2!, and theremaining free edge secured by suitable fastening element such as theillustrated wir staple 26 which is passed through the overlying oppositeedgesof panel 22 and the intermediate body portion 12. s

In the forming of the panel 22, a substantially 'V-shaped slitdesignated as 21 is cut in panel 22 to form an integralanchoring tongue28 which is disposed in the direction of the main part of the tag illwhen the unit is assembled.

In the positioning or securing of my sealable tag to an article such asbaggage or other parcels, usually to the handle thereof, the user willgrip the anchor end of my tag or check with its hook members I1 and,l'la folded substantially along the scoring lines [8 and I9 intooverlapping adjacent positions and insert said anchor end into theopening forming the entrance end of the tunnel between panel 22 and bodyportion [2, and thereupon push said anchor end, at the sam time flexingthe strap to the desired degree, 'to any points wherein the hooks l1 andl'la will be beyond th vortex of tongue 28. The user will then pullbackward on the strap or retract the anchor end,

whereupon the hooks designated as I! and Ila will, by their normaltendency to expand because of being folded into overlying position,engage and hook the tongue 28. In the forms wherein the end tongue 24 ismounted in slit 2|, said engaged tongue 24 forms a stop to prevent theuser from inserting the hook or anchor end too far, that is partly orwholly through the tunnel. In instances where a fastening element suchas a staple is utilized as the member to act as a top for the exit endof said tunnel, such fastenin element, i. e. wire staple, will alsoprevent the anchor end of the strap from being projected through andfrom the tunnel.

An important feature of my invention resides in the locking engagementbetween the overlapping anchor end, that is the hooks thereof, and thelongitudinally directed tongue 28, and further in the accomplishmentthat the user cannot unhook the anchor end so locked and engaged withoutdestroying the tunnel by tearing it off or by, removing the one or morefastening elements which secure the panel 22 to the body portion l2.These accomplishments make practically impossible the unhooking andreleasing of the anchor end once it is engaged without destroying ortearing apart the tunnel of the unit, and this thereby prevents the userfrom reusing the said sealable tag for more than one parcel, andconsequently thereby preventing him from collecting a tip or fee from asecond or later customer with the same tag.

The herein described securance and the illustrated construction of thetunnel part of the tag is such that in practice the porter or otherperson using the tag will not be permitted the time by the customer tounfasten relatively secure fastening elements which form the tunnel.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, 22a designates a substantially rectangularpanel of cardboard or the like which, in this form, is cut as a separatepiece and secured over the intermediate portion 12 of the main body ofthe tag to thereby form the tun nel in the same manner as has beenheretofore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

Where panel 22 is formed separately as indicated, it may be attachedalong its lateral edges by suitable fastening elements designated as26a, as well as by one or more staples 26 in a similar po- 1 sition tothat described with reference to Fig. l.

The staple 26a illustrated in Fig. 5 next the tear able tag portion la,in this form not only serves as a securing element but also as a stop toprevent projection of the anchor end of the tongue in the assemblingoperation heretofore described.

I am aware that various chanz smay be made in the embodiment of the hivein "\1 herein specifically described withoutdeparfirg from orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention or any featuresthereof, and nothing herein shall be construed as limitations upon theinvention, its concept or structural embodiment as to the whole or anypart thereof.

I claim as my invention: 1. A sealable means for attachingidentification devices to baggage or the like and formed from a singleblank of flexible material, an in termediate strap; an anchoring end onone end of said strap having an inwardly folded integral hook adapted,when folded, to normally flex outwardly and; a portion forming a tunnelextending from the opposite end of said strap, said tunnel portionhaving an angular slit therein forming an integral tongue extending awayfrom said strap; said hook bearing anchor end being insertable throughsaid slit to cause locking engagement between said anchor end hook andsaid tongue to prevent removal of said anchoring end.

2. In tearable means for attaching identification units to parcels andthe like and formed from a single blank of flexible material; anelongated strap; an anchoring hook-like end integral with said straphaving an integral doubled back hook thereon; an integral flat bodyportion having a pair of transversely extending spaced apart slotstherein; an integral panel doubled back upon a portion of said bodyportion and secured thereto form a longitudinally extending tunnel, saidpanel having integral tongues at its opposite ends engaged in saidtransverse slots; said panel having an angular opening forming anintegral tongue extending away from the main part of said strap, saidanchor end being insertable in said panel opening and said hook beingadapted to engage said tongue to irremovably secure said strap.

3. In an attaching device of the described class and formed from a blankof flexible material and adapted to be irremovablysecured to parcels orthe like; a flexible strap; an anchor end on one end of said straphaving an integrally formed nook thereon; a body portion having atransverse end slit; a panel formed integral with one side of said bodyportion and secured in position to overlie a part of said body portion,said overlying panel having an angular slit therein forming an integraltongue extending toward the end of said body portion; and a tongueformed integral with said overlying panel and normally inserted in andengaging said body portion slit, said hook-bearing anchor end beinginsertable in said panel slit and said hook being adapted to engage saidfirst mentioned tongue to lock said anchor end against removal.

4. In an identification attaching device formed of a flexible andtearable material, an elongated strap having an intermediate connectingportion and an enlarged integral portion at the end of said connectingportion, said connecting portion having secured thereon an overlyingpanel to form a tunnel between said panel and said intermediateconnecting portion; an integral tongue formed by an angular slit in saidoverlying panel, said tongue extending longitudinally; and hook elementsformed integral with the opposite end of said strap and adapted to beinserted into said slit to engage and lock on said tongue.

5. In attaching means for identification devices and adapted to beattached to baggage parcels and the like; a flexible strap; an anchorend integral with said strap including integral folded back wingsforming inwardly extending hook elements; an integral transverselyslotted strap portion connected to said strap; and a panel secured uponsaid slotted strap portion; said panel having an angular slit forming anintegral tongue extending away from said strap, said anchor end beingsecurable to said tongue by insertion of said anchor end through theslot of said panel and by hooking engagement of said wings on saidtongue.

FRANCIS PAUL VALEN'II.

